Fragile: Handle With Care
by nananine
Summary: Everyone breaks. It's just a matter of how long they can hold out before it finally happens. KakaIru Chapter Six Posted: Flashback - Iruka is less than thrilled to see Kakashi after their argument at the chuunin exams.
1. Prologue

About the rating:

This story is rated M for language, violence and sexual situations. Topics WILL include torture and sex of the non-consensual kind. And any smex found herein will be limited to male/male. If any of these things make you squeamish, go read something that's NOT rated M.

Disclaimer:

I don't even know why we bother with these fucking things. If I owned Naruto, would I really be writing fanfiction about it? Seriously…

**Fragile: Handle With Care - Prologue**

Hindsight is always 20/20. Looking back, you realize there were a hundred things you could have done differently; a hundred ways of changing fate. So many opportunities you didn't take and questions you never got answered.

"You don't know what you have until it's taken away from you." It's a phrase we hear all the time. Yeah, it's clichéd, but that's probably because it's true. You don't take the opportunities because it's something you can put off until tomorrow. You don't ask the questions because it's too morbid to think you'll ever run out of time.

Even after you lose someone, and vow not to make the same mistakes again, the human psyche has subtle ways of deceiving you. Just when you start to think that it might be better to simply hold nothing dear to you, the subconscious mind takes over. It's the voice in your head that tells you, "This time will be different." It's the part that still allows you to believe in happy endings. You get a feeling of invincibility, because this time, you're doing everything right.

But it's all just a defense mechanism. Without this misplaced sense of hope, people would lose any reason for living. The inevitability of death is ignored in favor of a short period of happiness.

We never called it "love", as if the word itself were taboo; as if saying it would somehow summon disaster for us. Not that it mattered. Even without saying it, we both knew. And the end result didn't change. Maybe if I had told you from the beginning, things would have turned out differently. But like I said, hindsight is perfect.

You warned me over and over again that this would happen someday, and I told you that I understood. But the easy day-to-day life made me too relaxed; too complacent. My mind tricked me into believing that it would last.

I was a fool.

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Author's Note:

Yeah, I know it's a short chapter and a long note, but bear with me…

ANGST…I really wanted to write a nice, light comedy, but this idea just wouldn't leave me alone. Um…before I go on with the rest of the fic, let's get a couple things straight. I believe strongly in the Commandments of fic-writing. Someone wrote them out once, and I can't really remember how many there are, but whoever you are, I give you much credit. They are invaluable in my pursuit of good fiction.

Firstly, I will NOT use random fan-Japanese. Yeah, I totally used to think it was cool until I realized how ridiculous it sounds to have a Japanese word in the middle of an English sentence. The point of fic writing is communication, NOT showing off my mad Japanese skillz…or something. Any terms used are there because A. they are generally known in the Naruto fandom (i.e. Genin, chuunin, jounin, sensei, etc…) or B. cannot be expressed in English (i.e. –san, -chan, -kun, etc. These are relevant to show the levels of relationships between characters.)

Secondly, there will be NO Mary-Sues. None. I refuse. And no main OCs. They are never done well…If there are any OCs, which I think there may need to be, they will be few and far between and certainly NEVER paired with a canon character. Eww…

Thirdly, I will not hold this fic hostage for reviews. If you like it, tell me what you think. If you hate it, rip it apart. But tell my why you hate it, so I can make it better next time.

Lastly, I will not abandon my fic. I will finish it, even if the ending is less than stellar.


	2. Chapter One

Disclaimer:Looks at watch: ….. Nope, still don't own it. Maybe next week.

Warnings for this chapter: Brief hints at violence, but nothing else yet. And the fact that I only went over this chapter three times or so. I'm not as happy with it as I was with my prologue. Then again, the prologue ended up having to be totally rewritten, so…In any case, I hope this chapter goes over moderately well…;

**Fragile: Handle With Care – Chapter One**

The ticking was making his jaw clench painfully. Looking up, he wasn't surprised to find that only a minute had passed since the last time he'd checked.

Umino Iruka hated that damn clock.

Every time the swinging doors were flung open, he sat up in anticipation, only to watch another medic-nin race past without offering any new information. It had been nearly four hours since Sakura had interrupted his afternoon class, wide-eyed and breathless. Her brow had been furrowed, and her hands shook with the effort of holding back tears. It had been her shaking hands that drew his attention to the blue piece of cloth that was held tightly in her grip.

He had never run so fast in his life.

But now that Iruka had reached his destination, there seemed to be no end to his waiting. He growled in frustration as he walked slowly over to the glass windows of the waiting room. Kakashi's admittance to the hospital wouldn't be common knowledge in the village just yet, but Iruka was certain that someone would have told Naruto by now. But at this point, he didn't know if even a hug from the blond-haired boy would be able to lift his spirits.

The sudden stray thought that he may need to sit down again rather abruptly convinced Iruka to wander back over the uncomfortable plastic chair he had previously occupied. Another medic pushed past the set of doors, this one less hurried than the previous. When he saw the chuunin, he gave a brief, grim nod before continuing down the hallway. But before Iruka's already strained mind overloaded itself trying to over-analyze this new piece of information, a bright orange streak wove its way around the medic-nin and past a gurney that had been left by the nurses' station.

"Iruka sensei!" Naruto yelled anxiously. "Iruka sensei, what happened? How long has he been in there?"

The teacher shook his head, pulling the boy into an awkward embrace. "They haven't told me anything yet. It's been over four hours since Sakura found me. But…" Iruka bit his lip, and forced himself to continue. "I saw Morino Ibiki san walk in a few minutes after I got here."

Naruto struggled to keep his facial expressions under control, but Iruka could see that the boy understood what that meant. He was smarter than most people gave him credit for. Naruto smiled then, but it was forced and never reached his eyes. "Kakashi sensei won't let something like this take him out that easily. The next volume of Icha Icha Paradise comes out in three weeks, and there's no way he'll miss that." He paused, before speaking again with renewed enthusiasm. "Besides, Tsunade baa-chan is with him, right? She can fix him up…at least she's good for something."

Iruka smiled despite himself. It was true that the Fifth Hokage was the best healer Konoha had to offer, but the teacher was still disturbed by the presence of the special jounin. It was obviously not a simple medical matter if it called for that particular's jounin's opinion.

Iruka hadn't even registered the opening of the doors until he found himself staring into the drawn, scarred face of Morino Ibiki. It was unsettling how just thinking about the man seemed to summon him.

"Iruka sensei," the jounin spoke, more softly than usual. "Hokage sama would like to speak with you."

Iruka gave his former student a reassuring touch on the shoulder, before following the other man through the doors that would lead him to Kakashi.

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Tsunade turned away from the window when she heard the approaching footsteps of the two men. She forced her face into a mask of neutrality. As painful as it was to be so cold and professional with those she had grown to care for over the years, Tsunade knew that she couldn't allow the chuunin teacher to see her true feelings. But the worried look on Umino Iruka's face nearly broke her resolve, and Tsunade mentally berated herself. 'Right now, you're the Hokage…you can grieve later.'

"Umino Iruka sensei, let me first remind you that this information is still classified. The only reason you are being updated is because of your…close relationship with Hatake Kakashi."

Iruka flinched at the Hokage's words. Of course she knew about their relationship; it was the worst kept secret in Konoha. But he didn't detect any disapproval in her tone of voice, but a cautiousness that set him on edge. 'Disapproval would have been better…' he thought.

"His condition has stabilized," she continued. "We've taken care of the most urgent problems, namely the internal bleeding and the broken ribs. Everything else will require time to heal on its own. Physically, he should be fully recovered in six to eight weeks."

Iruka frowned. "Physically?"

Tsunade's hesitation was almost imperceptible, but the significance wasn't lost on the chuunin teacher. "He hasn't regained consciousness yet, so it's impossible to determine anything beyond that." The Fifth Hokage prepared herself to be on the receiving end of Iruka's well-known temper.

But it never came. His next words were terrifying in a way that his yelling never could be. They were spoken with a quiet, almost primal rage that hinted at violence and blood.

"What aren't you telling me?"

Before Tsunade could get a word out, the imposing figure of Morino Ibiki stepped forward, saving her from the difficult task of explaining the situation in any more detail. This was, after all, his area of expertise, as Umino Iruka was very aware.

Every bit of common sense the teacher had was screaming at him to run far away from this room; from this man who would tell him things he may not be able to handle. But Iruka knew that uncertainty would be far worse, and forced himself to stay and listen to the man whose specialties were interrogation and torture.

"As you probably already know, Hatake Kakashi was on a mission to retrieve a scroll that had been stolen from Konoha by a shinobi of Hidden Mist. He was teamed with a rookie jounin by the name of Chosha Harikou." Ibiki paused, glancing at the door that led to Kakashi's room. "He hasn't spoken anything coherent yet, so we can't be sure of all the details, but it seems as though Hatake's teammate was taken prisoner shortly after the retrieval of the scroll.

"One of Hatake's dogs delivered the scroll to Hokage sama, and explained that his master had stayed behind to rescue Chosha. When ANBU finally found them…there wasn't much left of Hatake's teammate," he continued, voice dropping to almost a whisper at the last sentence.

Iruka swallowed, forcing back the bile that he felt rising in the back of his throat. "And Kakashi?"

"He was conscious when the ANBU team arrived, but in a severe state of shock; not only physically, but mentally as well. He was suffering from blood loss due to numerous kunai wounds, burns on his arms and legs, and more broken bones than we could count. But those he can heal from, given enough time. The more serious worry is the mental state he will be in when he wakes up."

Iruka felt relief at the fact that Tsunade and Ibiki were confident that Kakashi would wake up at all, but nothing could have prepared him for the jounin's next words.

"The mental torture he was put through was vicious, and we won't even know the full extent of it unless Hatake is able to tell us what happened. But it appears that, among other things, he was forced to watch as their captors tortured, and eventually killed his teammate. ANBU found him chained in the corner of a room, along with the remains. Before he lost consciousness, he kept repeating the same three words over and over: Obito, Harikou…and Iruka."

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So…yeah. I'm starting to feel worse and worse about this fic. It's so much darker that what I normally write. But I must persevere. Although it may get worse before it gets better.

Um…some notes about this chapter. In keeping with Kishimoto sensei's penchant for bad puns, my OC shares the same fate. The name is done in almost the same format as the Uchiha puns, with only a slight variation. The family name: Chosha is the Japanese for "writer". The "ha" at the beginning of Harikou is actually the Romanization for the character that is written "ha" but pronounced "wa" which basically means "is". And finally, rikou is a word meaning clever, so…if you piece the meanings together…It means that I'm an arrogant ass, but whatever. ;

As I mentioned before, OCs will not play a large role in this fic at all (as you can probably tell by the fact that the first one is already dead…) I couldn't bear to kill off a canon character. I thought about it, I really did. But in the end, I decided that this was for the best.


	3. Chapter Two

It kinda goes without saying that this next section is all flashback. I didn't want to use the obligatory italics to denote flashbackage, as it were, because it takes up the WHOLE chapter. Actually, the way it's looking right now, the formatting for the story may follow a real time – flashback – real time structure.

Warnings: This is the real thing, kiddies, not the watered-down version. It gets a bit explicit, so if you don't wanna read it, leave now.

I'd love to know how I can make this a better fic. Quick thanks to those who've already reviewed.

Disclaimer: It was on my Christmas list, but um…apparently I was naughty this year…too much porn, methinks.

Fragile: Handle With Care – Chapter Two

Iruka tapped his pencil lightly against the table, silently cursing a very sexy, very late jounin. It was ten minutes after the mission office was supposed to shut down, and Hatake Kakashi still had not appeared to turn in his latest report. The other Shinobi were starting to make their way out of the room, but Iruka knew that he would stay until his silver-haired jounin finally decided to show up. 'He probably planned it this way,' the chuunin thought to himself. 'Although it's not like he has any qualms about making me flustered in front of other people.'

Iruka could admit, he wasn't a very patient man, which was undoubtedly the reason why Kakashi subjected him to this "patience training". But that night he had been planning to cook the two of them an actual meal, after almost a week of nothing but take-out and instant noodles. 'Ugh…I don't know how Naruto manages to eat that much cup ramen…' he grimaced internally at the thought.

"Dammit! Can't that man be on time for anything?"

"I can. If the occasion calls for it."

Iruka jumped at the sudden voice behind him. Even more than making him wait, Kakashi always took great pleasure in sneaking up on his lover. In a valiant effort to hide his discomfort, Iruka harshly demanded the jounin's report. Kakashi walked slowly to the opposite side of the table, and held out a single sheet of paper. Above the mask, the chuunin teacher could see Kakashi's one visible eye curve upwards in a delighted expression. He sighed and took the offered paper without even bothering to look at it.

"So…have anything interesting for me, Iruka sensei?" The Copy-Nin's voice dropped seductively at the teacher's name, and Iruka tried to suppress a shudder.

'He always makes it sound so dirty…' the chuunin thought with a blush. Iruka rubbed his scar nervously, before finally deciding that he could speak without seriously embarrassing himself. "Well, if you had been here on time, you might have gotten something a little better than this. It's a standard scroll retrieval."

Kakashi looked puzzled. "That's hardly a jounin-level assignment."

"Probably because it's only a two-man job." Iruka frowned, "We've been seriously short on capable shinobi these days, and we just can't spare a whole team for this kind of job."

"If it's just a retrieval, that means I'll be able to come home to you that much earlier." Moving with a quickness that only a jounin could claim, Kakashi lowered his mask and gave the teacher a light kiss. He pulled back and smiled sweetly, causing the young chuunin to turn pink for the second time in under five minutes.

"Would you just take the damn assignment so we can get out of here? I don't have any homework to grade tonight, so I can actually make us some decent food." Iruka frowned, but coupled with his blush, the effect was more humorous than anything.

Kakashi couldn't help but chuckle, as he flashed a grin at the teacher. "You look like I just denied you sex…"

"You would think that, you pervert. I was going for 'irritated'."

The jounin looked genuinely confused. "Well I would certainly be irritated if you were withholding sex from me…" Kakashi froze, and Iruka recognized the look on his face from the time he had hidden the man's porn. "That's not what you're doing, is it?"

The brown-haired chuunin let out a full-throated laugh, and he could feel all the tension that had built up during the course of the day vanish along with any annoyance at the older shinobi's behavior. "No, no…I'll think of an even more cruel and unusual punishment for you." Iruka watched, almost mesmerized by the display of expressions that crossed Kakashi's face. 'If I didn't know any better, I would say he wears that mask because his ability to keep a straight face is about non-existent.'

As Kakashi's mind processed his lover's words, he let his face slowly fall into a familiar leer. "Is that a threat, sensei?" He paused and leaned forward, until he was only a matter of inches from the other man's face. "Or a promise?"

"Yes." Iruka answered simply, not even bothering to look at the jounin as he packed up his things to leave.

Blink.

"What kind of answer was that?"

"It's the kind that ruins the moment so we can finally leave and I can make us food."

Kakashi stepped back from the young teacher with an overly-dramatic sigh. "Fine, fine…I admit defeat." He looked at Iruka suspiciously. "You're not planning on tempura, are you?"

The chuunin's smile looked almost vicious, and was somewhat out of character for him. "I am now."

Kakashi made a face, not sure whether or not he should believe the other man. "That's not much incentive for me to let you leave any earlier, is it?" His disgusted look was soon replaced by the same leer he had earlier, as his mind began to supply other methods his brown-haired lover could use to convince him. Iruka recognized it immediately, and stood up before Kakashi could give voice to any of them.

"Alright, no tempura…this time. As long as you can behave yourself until we get home. Deal?" Kakashi had already walked over to the door and he turned slightly to throw the chuunin a quick grin over his shoulder.

"Deal."

Iruka realized belatedly that he should have instead stipulated "after dinner". The jounin was like a small child when it came to taking instructions literally. 'It really is like dealing with a ten year old sometimes.' Iruka thought affectionately, as he followed Kakashi out of the building, and in the direction of home.

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Much to the chuunin's surprise, Kakashi was able to control himself until well after dinner was over. And by that he meant it was at least a minute and a half after the last bite of food was gone. Iruka had picked up his dishes and busied himself rinsing them off before he felt a pair of strong arms wrap themselves around his waist. He ignored the growing sense of anxiety he felt low in his stomach, as he scrubbed at the dishes harder than was really necessary. Then suddenly, Iruka was aware of a pair of soft lips that brushed the outer shell of his ear.

Now that was cheating.

"Would you at least let me finish washing these dishes?"

"Mmm…" Kakashi murmured deep in his throat. "Let them soak. And then we can get soaked as well."

With an exceptionally loud sigh, the chuunin turned, still trapped in the circle of Kakashi's arms. "I think that was the worst pick-up line I've ever heard…"

"You hear them often? Maa…now I'm jealous."

"Yep, I'm popular that way." Iruka raised up on his tiptoes, bracing his hands against the jounin's shoulders for support. Kakashi felt teeth graze his cheek, as the brown-haired man caught the edge of the mask and pulled it down slowly. "You should hear what Gai sensei can come up with after a couple shots. Interesting stuff."

"Mmm…I'll bet. Maybe next time I'll take notes."

"Don't. I prefer yours. Much shorter."

Kakashi smiled at that, before leaning over to press his lips to the other man's. But the jounin kept the kiss sweetly chaste, and finally it was Iruka who deepened it by thrusting his tongue into Kakashi's mouth.

The silver-haired man pulled back with a chuckle. "Still so impatient. I think you could use some more training, sensei."

"You ass," the chuunin managed to growl threateningly. Unfortunately, it only succeeded in making Kakashi laugh harder.

"Such language; and from a teacher no less…Maybe I should report you for conduct unbecoming an educator."

"I'd show you some really unbecoming conduct if you'd just shut up."

It was spoken so low, the jounin realized he probably wasn't supposed to hear it. Kakashi's grin widened, as he did the exact opposite of what Iruka had suggested. "We're being awfully domineering tonight. Is there a reason for that? Hmm…have you been getting into my Icha Icha collection again?"

The chuunin flushed a brilliant shade of red before he began stuttering nervously. "N-no…I just…I'm sorry, I got caught up in the moment, and…" His rambling was stopped suddenly by a gentle pressure on his lips.

"Don't apologize," Kakashi murmured softly. "I like this side of you."

Iruka hadn't thought it would be possible to blush any harder, but a second layer of pink proved him wrong. Before he could even register the movement, there was a hand at the back of his head, pulling Iruka in for another kiss. This one, however, gradually became more forceful, more needy, as both men fought for control. Just as Iruka felt himself melting into the kiss, Kakashi's other hand made its way up his back, having slipped underneath his shirt while the chuunin was distracted.

Kakashi pulled the other man forward carefully, as he walked them into the living room without breaking contact. The hand that was still at Iruka's back grabbed a handful of shirt, pulling it up and over the chuunin's head. The jounin then dropped to his knees in front of Iruka and proceeded to tackle the buttons on his pants. The teacher stared down at him in fascination, as Kakashi began to drag the zipper down with his teeth. Feeling that the other man was now definitely over-dressed, Iruka quickly joined the jounin on the floor, and helped divest him of his own clothing.

The chuunin teacher quickly took advantage of Kakashi's state of undress, attacking the juncture of neck and shoulder with nips and licks. The older man used this opportunity to run his fingers through the brown hair in front of him, pulling out the tie that kept it in place. Kakashi then insinuated a knee between the other man's thighs, carefully brushing against a spot that was becoming more sensitive by the second.

Iruka gasped at the sensation, and in his distraction, found himself being pulled down on top of the slightly taller man. Kakashi looked up at him with a playful grin. "Sensei," he whined, in a poor imitation of a school-aged child. "You still haven't punished me yet…"

"I'm thinking an essay," Iruka grinned back at him. "A thousand words on why I should continue to put up with you."

The silver-haired man smirked at that. "I never really liked writing essays much, Iruka sensei. I'm much more of a…hands on learner." And with that, Kakashi reached down to brush a hand against the other man's member, earning him a moan and a pleading look.

"I think we can arrange something," Iruka replied breathlessly. The chuunin felt Kakashi's unoccupied hand at the back of his neck, and allowed himself to be pulled down closer. There was a light nip at his earlobe that sent shivers running up and down his spine, before a lust-filled whisper made him stop entirely.

"I want you to fuck me."

Iruka jerked his head up to stare open-mouthed at the other man, but the expression on Kakashi's face was entirely serious. The chuunin blushed at the images that had sprung to his mind from Kakashi's declaration. The silver-haired man smiled at this, and leaned up to kiss the tip of Iruka's nose. He was never able to resist the other man's inherently cute blushes.

The sweet playfulness of that kiss was enough to make Iruka relax and focus on what he was doing. 'It's not like I haven't thought about it…I just never wanted to ask, and this is so unexpected. I don't…' Iruka's inner monologue was interrupted by a well-timed kiss from Kakashi meant to both distract and encourage.

With the last of his self-consciousness placed firmly in the back of his mind, Iruka began to trail a line of hot kisses down the jounin's well-muscled chest and abdomen. He paused to lap at one of Kakashi's nipples, drawing out a soft gasp from the other man. Hearing the reactions he was getting from his silver-haired lover gave Iruka renewed confidence, and he continued his way down until he reached the base of Kakashi's erection.

Iruka's hands ran up the jounin's sides, gently smoothing over the scars that crisscrossed their way along his torso, while Kakashi's own hands found themselves buried in a tangle of brown hair. The chuunin's tongue traced the graceful curve of the other man's erection. Kakashi felt his heart race, as his hips jerked upwards of their own accord.

Iruka moved his hands from their place at Kakashi's sides, and pressed the jounin's hips down firmly. "Another outburst like that, and I'll have to keep you after class…"

Kakashi attempted to grin at that, but the sudden sensation of a wet warmth surrounding him caused his face to go slack with need. The chuunin grazed his teeth along the sides of Kakashi's cock before flicking his tongue to tease at its tip.

The pants and moans coming from the jounin were encouraging, so the brown-haired man took him in as far as he could, sucking on the swollen flesh. "God, Iruka," Kakashi managed to breathe out. "Just hurry up and fuck me already."

The chuunin managed to chuckle around Kakashi's member, the vibrations causing the older man to writhe underneath his hands. Iruka nipped at the tip of the jounin's head, before moving his mouth away completely.

"Now who's the impatient one?" He glanced around the room, before looking back down at Kakashi. "I'm gonna need something to, ah…" he trailed off.

"In my vest…mmm…left inside pocket."

Iruka turned to search for the small tube hidden in the jounin's clothes. "You carry this stuff around with you?" he said, before turning back to face the other man. Kakashi could only nod, not trusting his voice to hold as he watched his lover squeeze the lube onto his hands before coating his own erection with it.

Iruka hissed as the substance came in contact with his hardened cock. After determining himself sufficiently prepared, he hooked the jounin's leg with his arm, pulling it up to rest on his shoulder. He positioned his fingers at Kakashi's entrance, but paused, his eyes questioning. "Are you okay?"

The silver-haired man smiled reassuringly. "Never better."

Iruka nodded and took a deep breath before pushing one finger past the tight ring of muscle. Kakashi flinched, but the pain subsided quickly, as Iruka moved it in and out gently, grazing that spot deep inside him. His back arched, and the chuunin took that opportunity to slide a second finger in beside the first. Iruka scissored them a few times, before a shaky hand on his arm stopped him.

"Please…"

The chuunin complied, removing his fingers and positioning himself, one hand on Kakashi's thigh, and the other being used to aim. Iruka pushed in slowly, until he was fully sheathed inside the other man. Kakashi cried out at the sudden invasive feeling, and Iruka forced himself to stay still and let the jounin adjust. But it was all he could do to keep from thrusting into that tight heat.

Once Kakashi's breathing had slowed to almost normal levels, the chuunin spoke quietly. "Are you sure about this?"

The silver-haired man rocked his hips forward, and that was all the incentive Iruka needed to continue. He started thrusting slowly, carefully watching the jounin's face for signs of discomfort. But that was the last thing on Kakashi's mind as he felt Iruka begin move inside him.

"I'm not gonna…mmm…not gonna break you know…"

The chuunin barely caught the meaning of those words in his current state. He finally sped up, moving his hand from its place on the floor and stroking his partner's erection in time with his own thrusts.

"Oh God, Iruka!" Kakashi yelled, his hands clenched into fists.

Just hearing the other man yell his name like that was nearly enough to make the chuunin come, but he bit his lip hard, in an effort to regain control. Kakashi's body suddenly went rigid, and he cried out, releasing his seed onto Iruka's hand and back onto his own chest.

Iruka could feel his lover tighten around him as he reached his orgasm. With a few more powerful thrusts, the chuunin followed, Kakashi's name on his lips as he came. Iruka pulled out slowly, his unsteady limbs causing him to collapse next to the older jounin. Kakashi wrapped his arms around Iruka's waist as he nuzzled the other's neck.

The two men remained tangled together on the floor, neither one able to summon the strength to move. It was several minutes before Iruka sighed, and declared that he needed a shower. Kakashi whole-heartedly agreed, and the two helped each other stand and make their way to the bathroom.

After making themselves sufficiently clean, they managed to set out their futon and curled up together, enjoying each other's warmth and closeness.

Kakashi sighed happily. "Iruka, I lo…" he broke off suddenly with a grimace, grateful that the chuunin couldn't see his face. "I learned a lot today, sensei." It was too easy to let it slip; to let his guard down for even a second.

But the brown-haired man was already half-asleep, and didn't take any notice of the other man's near mistake. "Mmm…good. No homework then."

Kakashi chuckled, and pulled Iruka closer, as they both drifted off to sleep.

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Iruka woke the next morning to find the jounin already gone. It wasn't unusual when Kakashi had a mission the next day, but that didn't make it any less lonely. Next to his pillow though, the chuunin teacher found a note, written in Kakashi's neat script. 'Can't wait to get back to you. henohenomoheji'.

The brown-haired man smiled happily to himself as he dressed and gathered up his things for class. He only had time for a quick breakfast before he would have to run to get to his first class on time. Iruka's hand was on the doorknob before he remembered something, and he ran back into the bedroom.

He picked up the small note from its place on the floor, and tucked it into one of the pockets in his jacket. Now assured that he wasn't forgetting anything else, he dashed out of the small apartment, skipping several steps on his way downstairs. As soon as his feet hit the pavement, Iruka turned in the direction of the school and broke into a sprint. Kakashi might have thought it was good training to keep his team waiting, but he'd also never taught an entire class of pre-genins.

'Little monsters,' Iruka thought affectionately, as he continued his mad dash to the school.

'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'

I really didn't intend to make this chapter as long as it was. Really.

Um…yay for Iruka in naughty teacher mode. I kinda feel like the whole "OMGZ, Iruka is seme!" deal is overdone, but I think there's actually a point to it in this fic. Or there will be later, at least.

And a note on the flashbacks. They WILL NOT follow in any chronological order, so don't bug me about it. I mean, really…do you organize thoughts in your head exactly by date? No. They just come to you.

So…that was the watered-down shit. I'm not extremely happy with the way I had to edit it to keep all the little pricks happy, but, eh. Mostly I'm just glad it's done. That was fuckin' HARD.


	4. Chapter Three

**Disclaimer:**

Some dickhead on eBay outbid me at the last minute. Damn my luck.

**Fragile: Handle With Care – Chapter Four**

The door opened into a small room, devoid of furnishings save for one wooden table, and a gaudy plastic chair near the bedside. A shock of white hair and skin nearly as pale made it difficult for Iruka to distinguish the figure from the starched sheets he laid under.

The chuunin hesitated, afraid that his mere presence in the room might taint its stark sterility. Tsunade's hand at his back gently urged Iruka forward. His footsteps echoed off the walls, and the hollow sound was unnerving. He was vaguely aware of the Hokage and the special jounin following closely behind, but the vast majority of his attention was fixed on his comatose lover.

The shallow rise and fall of Kakashi's chest gave the teacher some measure of comfort, but it was the only indication that the man was still alive. "We've got him on some pretty powerful pain-killers, so he's not feeling much of anything right now." Iruka tore his eyes away from the form on the bed at the Hokage's words. But her features were as blank as the white walls surrounding them.

"How long until he wakes up?"

Tsunade frowned. "It's hard to say. We just gave him a dose of sedatives and muscle relaxants, so he'll probably be out for at least another ten or twelve hours. Of course, you're welcome to stay here with him, if you like. I'll go find you something more comfortable to sit in."

Iruka could only nod numbly in acknowledgement, as the Hokage left the room. After a few minutes, the silence became oppressive, and Ibiki could feel the chuunin's tension levels rise. Iruka's hands were clenched tightly at his sides, and his eyes threatened to overflow with tears. "This wasn't supposed to happen…" he said, his voice so soft that if Ibiki had not been listening for it, the comment would have gone unheard.

The teacher screwed his eyes shut, and the tears could no longer be held back.

"You're Hatake _fucking _Kakashi!"

But the man on the bed remained unmoving, and Ibiki was unfazed by the outburst. He had expected that too. The special jounin suddenly felt much older than his twenty-seven years. He had watched this same scenario play a hundred times before, and it never got easier. 'But maybe that's better,' he thought. 'The day it starts to get easier, I'll know I've been doing this for too long.'

Ibiki moved slowly, so as not to startle the anxious man before him. He placed his hands on Iruka's shaking shoulders in the most comforting manner he could. But he wasn't going to placate the chuunin with lies. Iruka deserved better than that. "Everybody breaks," the jounin began softly, feeling the other man tense at his words. "It's just a matter of how long they can hold out before it finally happens."

'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'

Tsunade walked down the hospital hallway at a brisk pace, desperate to leave that room, even if only for a few minutes. In the years since she had become the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade had come to care for all of the people in her village with a fierce protectiveness. But Kakashi and Iruka were different. She had witnessed their relationship from almost the very beginning,

The pair had thought they were being sneaky, but to anyone who knew them, it was obvious. In the way Iruka would be out of sorts until team seven returned from a mission, or the way Kakashi would drop by the teacher's classroom to deliver a forgotten lunch. Tsunade couldn't hide her feelings of pride and affection for the two after everything they had gone through to get to the point they were at now.

'Now…'

The Hokage forced that thought from her mind as she focused on her task. Tears wouldn't heal the Copy-nin, or bring any peace to the chuunin teacher, but at least she could try to make Iruka comfortable during his long wait.

Tsunade turned a corner and immediately saw a low, well-padded chair that would suffice and bent down to lift it up. She started her trek down the long hallway that led to the intensive care wing. She winced slightly, as each of her long strides caused the sharp corner of the chair to bang against her hip. But the sharp pain she felt served as an ample distraction for the emotions she was working so hard to suppress.

The Fifth set the chair down gently in front of Kakashi's room and reached for the door handle.

"You're Hatake _fucking _Kakashi!"

The sheer grief and helplessness of Iruka's words stopped Tsunade before her hand could even touch the metal. She remained frozen as the desperate cry echoed over and over in her mind. Without warning, her outstretched hand made contact with the door in front of her when Tsunade's legs refused to hold her weight any longer.

She thought briefly that it was lucky no one was nearby to witness her moment of weakness as she slid to her knees. One hand flew to her mouth, muffling her sobs as the gravity of the situation hit her.

Tsunade closed her eyes and let the tears flow.

'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'

Iruka stood rigidly still; the finality of the special jounin's words rooting him to the spot. 'Not wounded…not incapacitated…_broken_…'

"You've seen people recover," the teacher said, his voice admirable steady, eyes never leaving the man on the bed. "Even broken, it's not impossible to fix whatever problems he'll have, right?"

"It's always possible…" Ibiki offered, but he wasn't sure Iruka even believed his own words. "We'll know more after he wakes up. Then we can go from there."

"Yeah…" the chuunin responded half-heartedly. He reached a hand down and brushed Kakashi's cheek lightly. The circles underneath the jounin's eyes were made even darker by the contrast of his pale skin. It looked as if Kakashi had barely slept at all since his mission had begun.

Iruka moved his hand to run careful fingers through the jounin's silver hair, the strands clumped together with dirt and dust from the road. Iruka's frown deepened as his fingers met with resistance. He pulled his hand away from the offending knot and saw…

Blood.

A large patch of his lover's hair was caked with dried blood.

Iruka once again had to fight the urge to be sick. He wasn't normally squeamish about things like that; one could hardly afford to be in his line of work. But knowing that it was Kakashi's own blood matting that lovely silver hair was almost more than the chuunin could handle.

The Hokage chose that moment to open the door, and Iruka's attention was thankfully diverted to the woman standing in the doorway. Tsunade picked up the chair she had brought and carried it into the room. As she covered the short distance, she kept her eyes firmly on the ground in front of her, not willing to look either man in the eye. It was obvious to both that she had been crying, but neither mentioned it, much to her relief.

"Thank you, Hokage sama," Iruka said quietly, after she had set the chair at Kakashi's bedside. He sank bonelessly into it, feeling suddenly drained.

Tsunade stepped back with one last look at the figure lying in the bed. "The hospital staff will notify us when he wakes up." She bit her lip once, lightly, before continuing. "We're going to do everything we can to bring him back. I swear it."

Iruka looked up at the Hokage and offered her a weak, but genuine smile. That was more reassuring to him than any empty promises could be. He nodded once to the pair, and they slipped quietly out of the room.

The chuunin teacher leaned forward and gently interlocked his fingers with Kakashi's, careful not to disturb the IV that was inserted near his elbow. He sat like that for a long time, running his thumb back and forth over the jounin's calloused hand. But Iruka's weariness began to take its toll, and the chuunin soon gave in and laid his head next to Kakashi's shoulder.

The other man's slow, but steady in and out breath had an almost hypnotic effect, and Iruka felt his eyes drift shut.

"I love you."

'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'

**Author's Note:**

Sorry for the long wait. I wasn't really looking forward to this chapter, so I wrote 'Hypothetical Question' instead. Which, you should all go read, if you haven't. –smile- Shameless plug…

Not really all that happy with this. It was just so impossible to write. Took me several days. I kept getting all these ideas for chapters…_that aren't this one_. –sigh-

So in this chapter, we actually see both of the lines that brought this whole fic into being. The first is Ibiki's line, which also happens to be the summary of the fic. The second being the 'Hatake fucking Kakashi' line. And this is how fanfiction is born. Like a bastard child, really.

Although, after I wrote the part where Iruka talks about 'fixing' Kakashi, I couldn't really be serious anymore. This is mostly due to the fact that I just finished translating a doujin that has some…interesting dialogue. Ummm…long story short, Kakashi gets a fever and says "Iruka sensei…use your semen to fix me, please " I kid you not. It really is a cute story though. It's called "Beautiful Life" if anyone's interested. I'll be scanlating it once I get back to the states, but that's not for another five months or so…

I'm now off to write the next chapter. It's a flashback, so I promise it'll be better than this one. Really. I want to try to get it out this week, since I'll be on about a one month hiatus. As part of my program, I have to go somewhere that's not Tokyo, so I'll be staying in bumblefuck, Japan until mid March. So until next time, my lovely readers.


	5. Chapter Four

Disclaimer:

I did own it, but then they caught me running with scissors, and revoked all my privileges.

Fragile: Handle With Care – Chapter Four

'-'Flashback'-'

"So where were you last night?"

"Huh?" Iruka looked up from his bowl of ramen and into the smirking face of one Sarutobi Asuma.

"You know how thin the apartment walls are. In the three years that I've lived next door to you, you have come home after midnight exactly twice." The jounin took a long drag from his ever-present cigarette before continuing. "The first time, you fell asleep at your desk grading papers. The second time, I had to carry your drunk ass back after a few too many shots at Genma's New Year's party."

The chuunin blushed hotly at the memory, but was more embarrassed at the idea of relating the past night to Asuma. The other man peered into Iruka's face, searching for some clue that was hidden behind those flushed cheeks.

"You had a date, didn't you?" Asuma pressed. Iruka bit back a groan, as he felt his face grow even redder. This was just the reaction the jounin had been looking for, and he grinned widely. "And it was a hot one, from the looks of it. So who's the lucky person, huh?"

"No!" Iruka shook his head fiercely. "I'm not telling you anything. Last time I divulged secrets to you about my love life, you told everyone in the mission room." The chuunin shuddered. "Gai sensei took it upon himself to train me on the proper way to stealthily send an anonymous love letter."

Asuma started laughing loudly at the teacher's indignant expression. "Yeah! And then he made you practice by sending him 'mystery' Valentines."

"That wasn't funny, that was mortifying."

Iruka's jounin companion wiped a stray tear from the corner of his eye, as his laughter died down to a low chuckle. "Okay then, if I can guess…" The teacher looked at Asuma suspiciously, but was more or less resigned to the fact that he couldn't escape this line of questioning.

"Fine."

The jounin's smile turned positively feral, and Iruka wondered if he had made some fatal error. "Let's see…was it Suzume? You seem like the kind of guy who would go for an older woman…" Iruka merely shook his head. "I know! It's that new girl at the mission desk. The cute one that giggles whenever she looks at you."

Iruka shuddered. "Too clingy. Try again."

"Hmm…not Gai sensei…" Iruka blanched, and Asuma was ridiculously pleased with the reactions he could get out of the chuunin. "It was Ebisu, wasn't it? He's had a crush on you for weeks!"

"Now you're just making fun," Iruka said. He made a face, but couldn't keep from chuckling to himself at the very thought.

Asuma laughed heartily, barely able to keep from falling off his stool. "No, I know, I know…it was Kakashi sensei, right?" This last suggestion brought the jounin into another fit of snickers as he doubled over with amusement.

It took the man nearly half a minute to realize that Iruka was no longer laughing; was not even looking in his general direction. The chuunin teacher gazed steadily at the menu on the wall, as if fascinated by it.

Asuma sobered up quickly. "Oh shit," he said, crushing his cigarette into the ashtray. "Shit. You slept with Kakashi?"

"No!" Iruka answered hastily. "I mean, I did…but we didn't really…do anything."

The jounin was silent for a long moment before finally speaking. "He's not good for you," Asuma commented, as he turned to look at his companion. "You deserve better than that."

The brown-haired teacher bristled, leveling a glare at the older man. "What exactly is that supposed to mean, Asuma?" The chain-smoker, not to be outdone, glared back just as menacingly.

"He's late for everything."

Iruka shrugged it off. "It's a personality quirk."

The jounin rolled his eyes at that. "He makes fun of you incessantly."

"It's endearing."

"He reads nothing but porn."

The chuunin teacher paused thoughtfully before answering. "Okay, you've got me there. He is a bit of a pervert. But that's not a totally adverse quality."

Asuma sighed, lighting up another cigarette as he leaned forward, elbows on the counter. "Look, Iruka. I don't know what he told you, but Kakashi doesn't do relationships. He does friendly fucking and one night stands."

The chuunin felt the last of his righteous anger evaporate, and it left him feeling drained. "Yeah, I know." He absently stirred the remaining broth in his ramen bowl, dredging up sediment that had settled to the bottom.

"Are you really okay with that?" Asuma asked quietly. The two men sat in awkward silence for a long time, Iruka fidgeting nervously, and Asuma taking the occasional drag from his cigarette.

"I don't know." Iruka said at length. "But I do know that I enjoy his company, and it would be nice having someone to come home to, even if it's only temporary." The chuunin picked up his bill and, fumbling through his pockets, withdrew the proper amount of change. He moved to leave, and Asuma quickly followed suit after paying for his own meal.

The two shinobi left the Ichiraku and turned in the direction of their apartment complex. "Look, I'm sorry, Iruka. I'm not one to criticize your love life. I just don't want to see you get hurt when it doesn't work out. Because one of these days he's going to leave you, whether it's from a bad mission or a bad breakup." Asuma thrust his hands into his pockets and walked next to the young chuunin, shoulders hunched.

Iruka noticed his discomfort, and tried to relieve some of the jounin's guilt. "I appreciate you wanting to look out for me." He smiled reassuringly. "Besides, these things aren't supposed to be easy…it takes all the fun out of it." Asuma just nodded noncommittally, and the two finished their walk in silence, but all the awkwardness had left.

They said their goodnights in the hallway, and Iruka walked into the entrance of his apartment, slipping off his sandals after closing the door. The chuunin distinctly remembered turning out his lights before leaving for dinner, and he smiled to himself. Any shinobi worthy of the title would certainly never turn the lights on if they were waiting in ambush, so that left only one possibility.

"I'm home," Iruka announced, slipping off his vest as he walked towards his living room. He was greeted by the sight of a particular silver-haired jounin lounging at his kotatsu. The lower half of Kakashi's body was covered by the thick blanket attached to the short table, and his upper half reclined against one of the seats.

"Welcome back," he said casually, eyes never leaving his book. Iruka sat down across from the other man, and pulled a stack of tests from his bag.

"Were you waiting long?" the chuunin asked conversationally. Iruka looked at the first paper on the pile. 'Konohamaru'. He quickly placed it at the bottom, deciding to deal with that one later.

By this time, the jounin across from him had put his book down, and Iruka could feel that he was being watched. "Not really. I just thought I'd stop by and keep you company for a little while."

"Oh, is that what you thought?" Iruka said teasingly after finishing the first test.

"Yep!" Kakashi chirped, grinning under his mask. He leaned forward onto the table with his chin propped up on his hands, content to watch the chuunin teacher grade papers. Iruka managed to finish another five tests before looking up at the silver-haired man with a sigh.

"I don't know if I can do this, Kakashi."

The jounin cocked his head to the side, looking confused. "Can't do what?"

Iruka turned away from that single blue eye. "I don't know if I can be what you want me to be." He gave a sad smile. "I'm selfish; I don't want to be just a one night stand."

"Iruka," Kakashi said in a warning tone. "Don't ask for something I can't give."

The chuunin teacher shook his head. "I'm not asking for a serious commitment or anything…I just don't want to be some meaningless fuck."

"So that's what you and Asuma were talking about…"

"H-how could you possibly have known that?" Iruka stammered.

The jounin grinned. "I didn't. But I heard the two of you talking outside and figured that's what brought about this sudden declaration. You have really thin walls you know…"

Iruka sighed. "I'm aware."

After a moment of considering, Kakashi leveled a thoughtful look at the other man. "There's a reason I haven't had a serious lover in a long time. It's…dangerous. I'd be putting you in danger, and there's always the chance that I won't make it back from a mission. Is that really what you want?"

Iruka smiled softly. "If it means being close to you, I'm willing to take the risks that come with it. In any case, I can hold my own. I don't teach pre-genin hellions for nothing."

Kakashi regarded the teacher for a few more moments, before smiling in satisfaction. "Do those tests require your urgent attention?"

"Umm…no. Not really," Iruka said, casting a glance at the pile in front of him. As he looked up, the chuunin realized that in that split second, Kakashi had managed to climb on top of the kotatsu and begin prowling towards him. The stack of papers was carefully pushed to the side, and Iruka found himself face to face with the silver-haired Copy Nin.

"I think maybe we can work something out," Kakashi said, before lowering his mask and leaning in for a kiss in one fluid motion. The chuunin struggled to make sense of that last statement, but it was a losing battle. Kakashi's skillful, probing tongue banished all rational thought from Iruka's mind, and the teacher found himself responding eagerly.

The jounin's pale hand grasped Iruka's shoulder, and the chuunin allowed himself to be pushed gently onto his back. Kakashi broke the kiss for a moment, giving both men a chance to breathe. But as soon as he was straddled across the teacher's slim hips, Kakashi resumed his attack, leaning down to nip at Iruka's earlobe.

The chuunin teacher gasped, and his hands buried themselves in a tangle of thick silver hair. "Ka-Kakashi…"

"Yes?" the jounin murmured, moving his lips lower to press light kisses down Iruka's neck.

"We can't…mmm…we can't do this here."

Kakashi bit the skin above his jugular, causing the chuunin to arch his back in pleasure. "Why not?" he asked in an amused tone.

"Thin walls," Iruka managed to say between panting breaths.

The jounin chuckled against Iruka's sensitive skin, causing the teacher to shudder in anticipation. "Oh, I don't know…I think Asuma might like that."

"No!" Iruka protested. "I'll never live it down. Ever."

With one final, chaste kiss, Kakashi rose, and held a hand out to the younger man. "Then we'll just have to relocate. My walls are insulated."

"Thank god," Iruka said, accepting the jounin's help in standing.

"And I have a bed, too."

"Better and better," the teacher said, before practically pulling the other man out the door.

'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'

Iruka winced at the pain in his back, as he was shoved roughly against the door by an impatient jounin. 'Doorknob…doorknob…OW.' But that was the only coherent thought he could manage, as Kakashi began to grind their hips together. Iruka moaned at the friction that movement caused, and he hooked his leg around the jounin's waist, desperate to get closer.

Kakashi stepped backwards, causing them to lose contact, and Iruka almost protested the issue, until the jounin slid to his knees in front of him. He fumbled with the zipper of Iruka's pants, growling in frustration. After nearly tearing the fabric in his efforts, Kakashi managed to slip the pants down to pool at the chuunin's ankles.

The silver-haired man breathed warmly across Iruka's erection, and the teacher bit his lip to keep a moan from escaping. Without taking his eyes away from the erotic scene above him, Kakashi licked a trail upwards, before taking Iruka into his mouth.

The chuunin bucked his hips, unconsciously thrusting into Kakashi's eager mouth. His hands once again found themselves nestled in the jounin's hair, forcing Kakashi's head further down. Iruka moaned loudly when his lover began humming low in his throat, the vibrations causing him to become painfully hard.

"God…Kakashi…ah! So good…"

The jounin smiled to himself before swallowing around Iruka's cock. The teacher's hands grasped harshly at Kakashi's hair, as he struggled to hold on to his last bit of self control.

"I can't…wait anymore, Kakashi."

The silver-haired man removed his mouth, placing a gentle kiss on the tip of the chuunin's erection. "Then come for me," he said, before taking Iruka in as far as he could. He swallowed once more, and it was all the teacher needed to push him over the edge as he came hard.

Iruka sagged against the door at his back, and Kakashi stood to support him. He gripped the chuunin's arm gently, and led him into the bedroom.

Kakashi would admit later that he was surprised they even made it to the bed, with his control as badly frayed as it was. The two shinobi made quick work of their clothes, and Iruka felt his breath catch at the sight of Kakashi's pale, lean body. The chuunin gave Kakashi a quick, but thorough kiss, before turning his back to the other man.

He crawled towards the headboard and lowered the top half of his body to the bed. Kakashi's mouth went dry at the sight of Iruka displayed so invitingly, before he moved to join the chuunin. He leaned over the other man, his arms wrapped firmly around Iruka's torso.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" he asked breathlessly, not sure what he would do if the younger man said no.

But Iruka merely smiled, as he thrust his hips back to grind against Kakashi's erection.

"I'm sure."

That was all the incentive the jounin needed to reach into the drawer of his nightstand and pull out a small tube of lubricant. He put a generous amount into his hand, before coating his hardened cock with the substance. Kakashi placed one hand at Iruka's tight entrance, and the other arm wrapped around the chuunin for support.

Not wasting any more time, he gently pressed his finger in, waiting for Iruka to adjust to the intrusion. The chuunin gasped at the foreign sensation, but the discomfort didn't last, as Kakashi managed to brush Iruka's prostrate.

The jounin took that opportunity to add another finger, stretching the other man as far as possible.

"Kakashi…please…"

The other man froze. "Am I hurting you? Do you want me to stop?"

Iruka shook his head. "No, I want you to hurry up and fuck me already." Kakashi grinned at the other man's crude language, and removed his fingers before positioning himself at the chuunin's entrance.

"Last chance," the Copy Nin said playfully.

Iruka growled. "Godammit, Kakashi! Just do it!"

The jounin complied, entering the other man in one swift stroke. Iruka cried out, his back arching against Kakashi's chest. "So impatient," the other man whispered hotly in his ear. "I think maybe you could use more training, Iruka sensei."

The teacher didn't have time to reply, before Kakashi thrust into him, unable to keep from moving in that tight heat. Iruka's breath came quicker, as he felt the jounin's cock hit that spot over and over.

Kakashi moved his hand to firmly grasp the teacher's erection. Both men were moaning loudly, and Iruka was extremely grateful they had moved to Kakashi's apartment. The jounin's pace increased, as he felt himself getting closer and closer to release.

"Iruka," he managed to gasp. "God! It feels…so good…"

"Ah! Kakashi!" the chuunin cried out, as he came for the second time that night. Hearing his name on his lover's lips urged Kakashi forward, and with a few more strong thrusts, he came inside the other man.

Iruka's strength gave out, and he fell forward onto the bed, as the jounin pulled out of him gently. Kakashi laid down next to the younger man, arms pulling him close. Iruka sighed happily, and rested his head on the jounin's chest. It didn't take long for his eyelids to grow heavy, and the teacher didn't fight the exhaustion that beckoned him.

Kakashi listened to his lover's breaths even out and slow, the chuunin falling into a deep sleep. He rubbed a hand up and down across Iruka's back, as the young man snuggled closer to his side. The jounin kissed the top of his head lightly and smiled.

"I hope you know what you're getting into, Iruka sensei, because now you're stuck with me."

Author's Note

Yay. I'm so glad I could get this chapter out before I left. I'm actually pretty pleased with the way this one turned out.

If anyone gets the movie reference, I will love you forever. I have to tell you, it's NOT easy though…


	6. Chapter Five

**Fragile: Handle With Care - Chapter 5**

In the completely sterile hospital room, there was nothing to break the monotony except for the steady in and out breathing of the injured ninja. Iruka found himself with far too much time to think. He'd imagined a hundred different scenarios; Kakashi waking up and not remembering who he was; Kakashi waking up with a blank stare, totally unresponsive; Kakashi not waking up at all...

That had been the worst by far.

Iruka was afraid to leave, in case the man in the bed woke up while he was gone. But although he desperately wanted to stay, the chuunin decided that it would be better for his mental state of well-being to get out of that hospital for a little while. He paused at the door, ready to run back to Kakashi's side at the slightest indication of movement. Seeing none, Iruka sighed before slipping out the door and shutting it softly behind him.

The village outside proved to be in absolute contrast with the sobriety of the hospital. It was one of those freak periods of warmth in the middle of a cold spell. The kind of day that was so perfect, it was almost a sin to squander it. Iruka didn't smile or wave to anyone like he normally would on such a day. It felt to him like a personal affront that anyone could be happy while he was so obviously miserable.

Iruka was glad not to run into any of his students on the way to the academy. He hadn't yet thought up a suitable excuse for leaving in the middle of class. Luckily, the school had a contingency plan in cases such as these. There was always a ninja on call if a substitute was needed. Iruka walked into his classroom and found pile of papers stacked neatly on his desk. A short note had been left on top, and the teacher scanned it quickly. Apparently Shikamaru had been called in to sub and, having nothing planned ahead of time, simply made the kids sit quietly and write essays for the rest of the day.

Since they hadn't finished, Iruka knew he'd have to go back and reteach the whole lesson. 'At least these will give me something to do while I wait for...' The chuunin shook off that thought, grabbing a few red pens and the pile of essays from his desk. Deciding he'd been away long enough, he stuffed the supplies into his bag and transported himself to just outside the hospital.

He walked quickly down the hall, and was suddenly anxious when he saw that the door to Kakashi's room was slightly ajar. Iruka knew he had closed it. He ran the rest of the way to the room, eyes searching. The only change to the room was the addition of a nurse, who was replacing the IV bag. Kakashi was in the same position as when Iruka had left him. But he still had to ask.

"Did he wake up? I was only gone a few minutes, but..." the nurse cut the chuunin off with a shake of his head.

"I'm sorry," the man said. "I just came in for this," and he held up the empty bag in explanation.

Iruka felt his chest tighten. "Of course. I shouldn't have expected anything." The nurse gave him a sad smile and turned to leave the room. "Um, actually..." The nurse paused, looking back at the other man. "It's just...he's still covered in dirt and..." _and blood..._his mind supplied. _Among other things..._Iruka ignored his subconscious and continued. "Do you think...Would it be okay if I cleaned him up a little?"

The young nurse smiled warmly and nodded. "I'll bring you some towels." Iruka thanked the man and dropped into his chair, rubbing his face with shaking hands. The shot of adrenaline that had flooded his body upon seeing that open door had abandoned him suddenly, leaving the chuunin feeling weak.

Iruka didn't have to wait long for the nurse to return. He took the towels gratefully, and headed for the small adjacent bathroom. He turned on the tap, and let the water run until it was a comfortable temperature. After soaking one of the towels in the lukewarm water, he wrung it out over the basin. Walking back to the man lying comatose, Iruka wondered where to begin. It seemed as if every inch of Kakashi's exposed skin was either cut, bruised, or burned.

The chuunin then remembered seeing blood in the silver hair, and decided to start with that. "Naruto came by today...to see you," Iruka said softly, as he rubbed a few locks of hair between the corners of the towel. "He'll probably be back tonight. And Sakura is going to check on you whenever she can." He moved to a different section of hair. "We're all pretty freaked out."

Iruka looked at the previously white cloth that was slowly turning to a dark brown color. "Okay. Maybe I'm beyond 'freaking out.' It's more like 'terrified.'" There was a particularly large clump of dried blood near the jounin's left ear, and Iruka worked at it for a few minutes in silence.

After he was satisfied that all the hair he could reach was at least mostly clean, Iruka decided to move on. In the medics' haste to ascertain his most serious injuries, Kakashi's mask had been cut away, along with most of his uniform. A white surgical mask was in its place, in an attempt to give back some of the man's privacy. "I remember the first time I saw you without it," Iruka said, smiling at the memory. "I don't know who you think you're fooling. Everyone already knows there's a handsome face under there."

A smudge of dirt drew his attention to Kakashi's forehead, and he wiped it away lightly. Iruka leaned forward on one hand, and reached the other towards the jounin's ear, and the thin elastic band holding the mask in place. He slid a finger under the band to lift it off, when his mind registered a sharp pain in his other arm. Iruka's eyes shot back down to the bed.

There were fingers wrapped tightly around his wrist.

Hardly daring to believe it, he looked back at Kakashi's face. Mismatched eyes were now open and focused intently on Iruka. When the jounin spoke, his voice was raspy from disuse, but the words came out clear and cold.

"Touch me again and I'll _kill_ you."

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AN: Holy crap. I know. It's been almost three years to the day. This is why I should never ever be allowed to write chaptered stories.

But...on the plus side...Kakashi's awake. Yay? This chapter was originally going to be much longer, but I like cutting it off here. Dramatic tension and whatnot. It feels not as good as previous chapters, but things should be more interesting from here on out.

Anyway, I've got outlines through chapter nine, so I may finish this damn thing yet.


	7. Chapter Six

Flashback! You're all gonna have to wait a little longer till I resolve the cliffhanger. _If_ I resolve it. Mwahaha.

**Fragile: Handle With Care - Chapter 6**

It felt like all his muscles had turned to liquid. Iruka looked down at his hands and smiled when the table underneath them started to tilt.

About damn time, too.

He turned his gaze back to the glass in front of him and counted, trying to figure out how much he'd imbibed. The service being excellent at this particular bar, an empty glass never stayed on the table for long. That made it all the harder to keep track. Besides that, concentrating was becoming impossible, which was exactly what the chuunin was going for.

"Excuse me," he said, getting the attention of one of the waitresses. "Could I get another vodka?"

"Make it two."

Iruka turned his head towards the source of the voice just in time to see a silver-haired man sit down at a chair across the table. "Just the one, please," Iruka said to the waitress, though his eyes never strayed from the other man. "Hatake-san won't be staying." The woman, hoping to avoid an awkward confrontation, made a quick getaway. Iruka simply folded his arms and leaned back. He was obviously waiting for Kakashi to say something.

The jounin took his cue. "I don't see you in here very often. Special occasion?"

Just the sound of Kakashi's voice was enough to make the chuunin defensive. He wondered how such a seemingly simple question could feel so much like a personal attack. "You think because I'm a school teacher, I don't drink?"

"No," the other man countered. "I think because you're a school teacher, you don't kill people. That's why I come here."

Iruka thought it sounded vaguely like an insult. "You're right. I don't even remember the last time I had to kill another person. But believe me, Hatake-san, I have my own sins to consider. Just because I don't end lives with my own hands doesn't mean I'm completely free from blame."

The copy-ninja hummed noncommittally, but didn't comment. The chuunin teacher was filled with alcohol and clearly on a roll. "I train kids..._little kids_ to fight. I have to teach them how to defend themselves, because other teachers are out there, teaching _their_ kids how to kill _our_ kids. I'm responsible for what happens to them. They..."

"They're shinobi," Kakashi interrupted quietly. "Those are the risks we all face. They can't stay safe in your classroom forever."

Iruka growled, shoving his chair away from the table so violently that the empty glass tipped over and rolled off the edge, shattering upon impact with the floor. The teacher was only hazily aware that he was making a scene. Standing so suddenly had destroyed his sense of equilibrium, so Iruka was concentrating all his energy on glaring at the jounin in front of him. "Perhaps you forgot, Hatake-san, but I'm already familiar with your thoughts on this particular subject. You made it quite clear to me, and every other shinobi present."

Kakashi said nothing as he watched Iruka take an uncertain step forward. "Just because they stop being my students doesn't mean I stop caring about them." Iruka began to walk out of the bar, past the other man, his attention on putting one foot in front of the other.

Which was why a gloved hand wrapped gently around his arm caught Iruka completely by surprise.

He glanced down at Kakashi, hoping for some kind of explanation, but the jounin was staring steadily at Iruka's arm, which he had yet to relinquish from his hold. The chuunin felt his face flush, as the silence stretched on, becoming quite awkward. He was just about to pull himself forcibly out of the other man's grasp when Kakashi finally spoke.

"You're not the only one that cares about those kids. They're the first people I've really loved in a long, long time." The silver-haired man turned his head so that he was looking up at the young chuunin teacher. "You should really sit down, Iruka-sensei," he said, smiling happily. "You don't look all that steady."

Iruka was so stunned by the sudden change in atmosphere, that he could only nod dumbly as he fell heavily back into his seat. The jounin had very effectively ended his tirade, and Iruka had been counting on his righteous indignation to help him make it out the door. But with most of his anger now gone, the chuunin doubted he could make it without falling or running into something. Neither of those things sounded particularly appealing.

Iruka found Kakashi was still smiling at him, and the teacher's booze-addled mind became irritated again very quickly. "What?"

"You're blushing. Do you have the hots for me, sensei?"

"Do I...'_have the hots_'...for you?" Iruka said slowly, trying to buy time to think up an adequate response. "What, are we sixteen now?"

Kakashi shrugged. "Naruto said it a couple of days ago and it stuck. So, do you?"

"D-don't be an idiot!" the chuunin stuttered. "Alcohol makes my face turn red. Really red."

"Of course it does. Excuse me!" the silver-haired man called out to the same waitress they had spoken to before. She walked over to their table, looking slightly nervous.

"Yes, can I help you?"

Kakashi turned back to grin at the teacher once more. "Iruka-sensei has very graciously allowed me to stay. So, can we get those vodkas now?"

The middle-aged woman smiled, relaxing a bit. "Sure, is there anything else?"

"Um, I accidentally broke one of the glasses," Iruka said, face clearly showing his embarassment. He gestured to the glass on the floor. "I'll be glad to pay for it."

The waitress shook her head as she bent down to carefully pick up the pieces. "Don't worry about it. It happens. I'll be right back with your drinks."

The two ninja nodded their thanks as she turned and headed back to the kitchens. A sudden groan made Kakashi look back at the chuunin, who was holding his head with both hands. Eyebrows raised in speculation, he wondered how much alcohol the younger man had drunk to get him into such a state.

Iruka leaned forward to put his elbows on the table for support. He was still holding his hands tightly against his temples, as if trying to keep his head from splitting apart. "Another drink would be a very bad idea," he said, eyes rolling upward to watch the silver-haired man. "I can see two of you...as if one wasn't bad enough."

"Hnn...It's good to see the alcohol hasn't affected your personality." The jounin studied Iruka's face thoughtfully. "Are you sure that isn't a blush? It seems to come and go..."

The teacher closed his eyes, beginning to regret the decision to stay. "It gets like that when I'm angry too. Which," he began, raising his head to look Kakashi square in the eye. "I have every right to be, by the way."

"Considering the whole thing was your fault, I have to disagree," Kakashi said, looking completely serious.

"What?" the chuunin asked, too far gone to care that his mouth was hanging open in disbelief. "How in the hell do you figure that one?"

"Nine of _your_ students were nominated to take the exams as first year genin. You must have done something right."

Iruka shook his head. "It wasn't me. Those kids are special. Motivated," he said, thinking fondly of the students in that group. Naruto...Hinata...Shikamaru... "Er...most of them, anyways."

"You know as well as I do that Naruto would never have gotten this far if it wasn't for you." Kakashi smiled as the teacher accepted the compliment silently. "You know, he talks about you a lot," the jounin continued. "Topic-wise, I think only Sasuke and ramen rank higher."

"I suppose in Naruto's case, losing out to ramen is nothing to be ashamed of. Thank you, Kakashi-san," Iruka said sincerely.

"Oh, so we're on a first-name basis now? I'm flattered."

The chuunin snorted. "Don't be. You've been calling me 'Iruka-sensei,' so I think I should be able to call you 'Kakashi.'"

"Fair enough," the jounin said happily, as the waitress approached with their drinks. Iruka frowned as a glass was placed in front of him. Kakashi noticed and pushed the drink closer to the chuunin. "You look like you could use it."

It was a few moments before Iruka answered. "A former student from my first class ever...she was killed yesterday. She only made chuunin last year."

The jounin nodded. This was something he understood very well. "In that case, one more definitely won't hurt," Kakashi said as he picked up his own glass. "For fallen friends, that they never be forgotten." He watched the other man raise his drink briefly, before knocking it back in one go.

Kakashi knew better than to comment. He'd already riled up the chuunin enough for one night. But he couldn't hold back a smile as he lowered his mask and took a sip from his own drink.

Even with his rapidly burring vision, Iruka was close enough that he could clearly see the other man's features. Feeling guilty for staring, he turned away quickly and looked around to see if any of the other patrons had noticed. Things seemed pretty calm, so Iruka assumed that no one else had. He looked back just as the jounin was getting the mask back into place.

Kakashi had already decided against angering Iruka any further. _Teasing_ the poor teacher, however...

"What? Is there something wrong with my face?" he asked innocently.

The copious amounts of alcohol prevented Iruka from thinking through his response before saying it aloud. "You know damn well there's nothing wrong with your face. It's perfect." The chuunin froze, and Kakashi could practically see the wheels spinning in Iruka's head as he started backpedaling desperately. "That is to say...it's umm...not bad...as far as faces go..."

"How cute. Did you fall for me again?"

"No!" Iruka said frantically. "I mean, I didn't fall for you before either!" Kakashi simply smiled. "It's getting late. I should go...school night and all..."

"Tomorrow's Saturday."

_Crap._ Iruka thought. "Have to feed my cat. Poor thing's been alone all day."

"You don't have a cat."

_Don't panic! Stick to your story... _"I just got her. Last week. So, no one knows about it. Not even Naruto."

The jounin leaned back, folding his arms cockily. "I have a pack of ninja dogs. I would have been able to smell cat all over you."

_So much for lying._ "Okay. Honestly? I just need to get home. If I stay here any longer, I'll pass out at the table." _Or say something completely mortifying..._

Kakashi stood up, removing his mask and finishing his drink in one fluid motion. "You should have said so in the first place. I'll walk you home. As long as you promise not to molest me on the way. I have a reputation to protect, after all."

"Most people would imagine it the other way around..." Iruka said, eyes narrowed. "And anyway, you don't need to do that. I'm fine."

"Uh-huh. Considering the fact that you're looking right _past_ me, I can only assume you're still seeing double. What kind of gentleman would I be if I let you stumble home by yourself?"

Common sense won out over pride in the end, and Iruka sighed in resignation. "Fine, let's just pay and get out of here." He slowly made his way to the door, as he fumbled for his wallet. The teacher opened it and frowned at its contents. He felt someone brush past him, and glanced up to see Kakashi at the counter, paying his bill. "What? What are you doing?"

The jounin waved off his objections dismissively. "Don't worry. You can pay me back when you're sober enough to tell a two from a five."

_Huh..._ Iruka thought, staring at his money. _They do kinda look the same._ The transaction was taken care of quickly, and both men stepped out the door and into the cool night air. The change in scenery and temperature lessened some of his dizziness, and the chuunin sighed in relief. Things were looking up.

"You live near Gai and Asuma, right?"

"Yes," Iruka replied, as they started off in the direction of his apartment. "Asuma-san lives next door."

"You picked a good spot for drinking, then. At least you live pretty close. Although actually, we'll be lucky if you make it that far..." Kakashi paused as he watched the teacher trip over an exceptionally large bump in the road. A hand at his elbow kept Iruka from falling over.

"Damn thing came out of nowhere..." he mumbled.

The copy ninja rolled his eyes, but didn't move his hand from where it rested lightly on Iruka's arm. Who knew what might jump out to trip the poor, drunk chuunin next?

The rest of their journey, however, was relatively uneventful, and the two soon found themselves standing outside Iruka's door. "Keys, keys, keys..." the chuunin muttered, as he fished through his pockets. Iruka pulled out the keyring, and after three tries, managed to get the door open. Not bothering to remove his sandals, the teacher walked straight down the hallway to the back of the apartment. "I'm going to bed."

Kakashi, who had slipped through the door behind Iruka took his own sandals off before stepping into the chuunin's kitchen. "I'll find you some painkillers," the jounin said. "I have a feeling you're going to need them." He walked over to the sink and filled a glass with tap water before making his way to the bathroom. Iruka's medicine cabinet was well-stocked, and Kakashi easily found the pain medication.

The door leading to the chuunin's bedroom was half open, but Kakashi knocked before poking his head in. Iruka was lying flat on his back on top of the covers, completely comatose. Kakashi pushed the door open fully and glanced at the rest of the room. Night stand next to the bed, dresser on the far wall, trash can in the corner... Perfect.

The jounin put the bottle of pills and glass of water on the night stand, and dragged the trash can over, so that it was right next to the bed. Kakashi managed to take off Iruka's sandals and pull the blankets out from underneath him without the chuunin showing any signs of life.

Realizing that this was about the best he could do for the young teacher, Kakashi covered Iruka with the blankets and walked over to the other side of the room. _I'll stay here tonight..._ he thought to himself, as he sat down with his back to the wall. _Just in case. _And with that, Kakashi closed his eyes, and fell asleep thinking of the brown-haired teacher.

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AN: This chapter just would not end. I'm not completely happy with the ending, but I just wanted it to be over. Gah...I know you all want to get back to the present, and frankly, so did I...There was just a lot that had to fit into this chapter. So anyway, chapter seven is already in the works, and as far as the present is concerned, things will pick up considerably now that our hero(?) has finally woken up.

And thank you to all of my reviewers. I got some very lovely comments, and it makes me happy to know that people are enjoying the story.


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